Showing papers on "Value chain published in 2005"

Integrative strategic performance measurement systems, strategic alignment of manufacturing, learning and strategic outcomes: an exploratory study

Abstract: There is considerable interest in the role of strategic performance measurement systems (SPMS), such as balanced scorecards, in assisting managers develop competitive strategies. A distinctive feature of SPMS is that they are designed to present managers with financial and non-financial measures covering different perspectives which, in combination, provide a way of translating strategy into a coherent set of performance measures. There appears to be wide variation in how these systems are configured. However, as yet, there has been little consideration given to identifying underlying information characteristics that might help explain how the systems have beneficial effects. This study identifies a key dimension of SPMS, integrative information, as being instrumental in assisting managers deliver positive strategic outcomes. Three interrelated dimensions of integrative SPMS were identified in this study. The first, strategic and operational linkages, was a generic factor that captures the overall extent to which the systems provide for integration between strategy and operations, and integration across elements of the value chain. The second attribute, customer orientation, focuses on customer linkages and includes financial and customer measures. The third dimension, supplier orientation, is based on linkages to suppliers and includes business process and innovation measures. A model is developed that predicts that integrative SPMS will enhance the strategic competitiveness of organizations. It is proposed that the influence of integrative SPMS on strategic outcomes is indirect through the mediating roles of alignment of manufacturing with strategy and organizational learning. Data from a survey of 80 strategic business units provide varying support for the proposed relationships.

Logistics and supply chain management : creating value-adding networks

Abstract: ToC (new and updated chapters in bold) Chapter 1 : Logistics & Competitive Strategy This chapter will look at how logistics capabilities and supply chain excellence can help companies gain a competitive advantage. It will also look at the relationship between logistics and financial performance. Case Study : Dell (updated from 1998 version) Chapter 2 : Logistics & Customer Value This chapter focuses on the ways in which customer value can be created and delivered through the supply chain. The theme will be demand-driven and responsive supply chain strategies. Case Study : Zara (updated from 1998 version) Chapter 3 : Measuring Logistics Costs and Performance The content of this chapter will be about the need to understand the 'costs-to-serve'. Issues such as customer profitability analysis and benchmarking will be included. Case Study : Wal-Mart/K-Mart (new) Chapter 4 : Creating the Agile Supply Chain The concept of the agile supply chain is developed in this chapter and the building blocks of the agile paradigm explained. The differences between 'lean' and 'agile' will be discussed. Case Study : The challenge of the 3-day car (new) Chapter 5 : Strategic Lead-Time Management Time compression is the focus of this chapter including the search for ways in which non-value adding time can be removed from the pipeline. Case Study : Hewlett Packard CD/RW (new) Chapter 6 : Managing the Global Pipeline The particular challenges of global supply chains will be discussed in this chapter. The pros and cons of global sourcing and offshore manufacturing will be presented. The need to understand the total supply chain impact of globalisations will be emphasised. Case Study : Dyson (new) Chapter 7 : Managing the Supply Chain in an Era of Uncertainty This chapter will examine the ideas of supply chain risk and vulnerability and will explore ways in which supply chain resilience can be improved. Case Study : Nokia/Ericsson (new) Chapter 8 : Managing Networks and Relationships The idea of the supply chain as an interdependent network of organisations that jointly combine to deliver customer value is introduced. The idea of supply chain 'orchestration' is discussed. Case Study : Li & Fung (new) Chapter 9 : Overcoming the Barriers to Supply Chain Integration The fundamental business transformations that are required to enable supply chain integration to become a reality are examined. The characteristics of effective supply chains will be presented. Case Study : GM/Vectra (new)

Industry Change Through Vertical Disintegration: How and Why Markets Emerged in Mortgage Banking

Abstract: This paper provides an inductive theoretical framework that explains how and why vertical disintegration happens, showing that transaction costs are an incidental feature of industry evolution. I find that gains from intrafirm specialization set off a process of intraorganizational partitioning, which simplifies coordination along parts of the value chain. Likewise, latent gains from trade foster interfirm cospecialization, which leads to information standardization. Given standardized information and simplified coordination, new intermediate markets emerge, breaking up the value chain, allowing new types of vertically specialized firms to participate in an industry, and changing the industry's competitive landscape.

Supply chain integration and performance: US versus East Asian companies

Abstract: Purpose – Though there is a wide acceptance of the strategic importance of integrating operations with suppliers and customers in the supply chain, many questions remain unanswered about how best to characterize supply chain strategies. Is it more important to link with suppliers, customers, or both? Similarly, little is known about the connections between supplier and customer integration and improved operations performance. This article seeks to investigate supplier and customer integration strategies by comparing US and East Asian companies. It is of paramount interest to find out how these strategies actually differ and affect performance of the companies.Design/methodology/approach – This was carried out in three phases. In the first phase, a number of operations‐management related journals were skimmed to select about 30 research articles related to supply chain concepts and practices. In the second phase, investigation efforts narrowed down to supply chain management research conducted in East Asia...

Construction supply chain integration: an elusive goal?

Abstract: Purpose – To empirically investigate the problems encountered in trying to integrate supply chains in the UK construction industry and to set these problems in the context of the extensive literature on supply chain management and partnering.Design/methodology/approach – A brief review of current supply chain issues in the construction industry is provided. Three case studies of leading construction clients were carried out and these included public and private organisations from different sectors of the economy, public transport, information and communications technology and vehicle manufacturing. A large number of interviews were conducted with the various clients, their main contractors and key subcontractors and suppliers.Findings – The findings reveal that the large number of supply chain partners and the significant level of fragmentation limit the levels of integration that are achievable. The interplay of environmental and procurement related factors renders the realisation of truly integrated sup...

Strategic supply chain management : the five disciplines for top performance

Abstract: This is the classic guide to supply chain strategy - re-created to help business leaders gain an advantage in today's volatile, globalized arena. The definitive guide to supply chains that deliver value. The global landscape has changed dramatically since the first edition of Strategic Supply Chain Management established itself as the authority on creating value and achieving competitive advantage from the supply chain. Shorter economic cycles, more-frequent natural disasters, higher costs in low-cost countries, more-restricted access to working capital, and greater focus on sustainability have made effective supply chain management much more challenging- and much more critical to the bottom line. This second edition is your answer to gaining a strategic advantage in the face of these challenges. Drawing on dozens of new company examples as well as cutting-edge benchmarking research, it shows you how to make your supply chains more agile, flexible, and resilient. With 80 easy-to-read tables and diagrams, this fully revised book explains how to: develop a supply chain strategy that will help you realize your business goals; design a process architecture that maps out the activities of the end-to-end supply chain; create the most effective supply chain organization; build the most beneficial relationships with your supply chain partners; use metrics to assess and drive business success; implement transformational change; see how today's best supply chain strategies work in all-new profiles of BASF, Essilor, Haier, Kaiser Permanente, Lenovo, and Schlumberger. Find out what these industry leaders are doing to get the greatest value out of their supply chains. When value depends on how well you deliver, you need Strategic Supply Chain Management, Second Edition. Praise for Strategic Supply Chain Management: "This book shows convincingly that a robust supply chain strategy is critical for business success in today's uncertain economic environment. Cohen and Roussel explain not only what makes for a good supply chain strategy but also how to put that strategy into practice." (Jim Miller, VP, Worldwide Operations, Google). "Strategic Supply Chain Management loudly and clearly makes the case that successful companies' supply chain strategies are closely aligned with their competitive differentiation and operating models. The book uses in-depth examples that bring these concepts to life and demonstrate that one size doesn't fit all. Anyone who thinks operations is just another corporate function needs to read this book." (Manish Bhatia, SVP, Worldwide Operations, SanDisk). "The advent of global marketplaces, heightened competition, accelerated pace of product innovation, and fast-changing customer preferences have increased the impact of the supply chain on company profitability and long-term success. But cultural challenges to successful supply chain design remain. Cohen and Roussel's book provides a platform for addressing these challenges and is recommended reading for chief executives, strategy professionals, and supply chain practitioners." (Martin Roper, Chief Executive Officer and President, Boston Beer). "The authors present a straightforward path for developing and deploying a global supply chain strategy that addresses the priorities of today's executive management teams." (Hau Lee, Thoma Professor of Operations, Information and Technology, Stanford Graduate School of Business). "Strategic Supply Chain Management, Second Edition, is an important resource for executives who are trying to take their supply chain performance to the next level. Given the enormous challenges of the current business environment, it's 'must' reading." (Joe Francis, Executive Director, Supply Chain Council). "Following on from their ground-breaking first edition, the authors provide further evidence of the critical role of supply chain management in creating competitive advantage. Managers facing the challenge of coping with increasing levels of complexity in global supply chains will find valuable guidance in this in this revised work." (Martin Christopher, Emeritus Professor of Marketing & Logistics, Cranfield School of Business, Cranfield University). "This is not another one of those books that are heavy on theory but light on practical advice. Filled with examples of companies from a wide range of industries and geographical regions, it provides guidance that is clear and easy to understand." (Greg Clapp, SVP, Operations, Fujitsu). "Concise and cogent, Strategic Supply Chain Management, Second Edition, lays out the key components for top supply chain performance and backs up these insights with new benchmarking research. Managers across the organization will find answers to their supply chain questions here." (Paul Bischler, Vice President and Controller, Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway).

Rhetoric and reality of corporate greening: a view from the supply chain management function

Abstract: The increasingly important economic role of supply chain management provides the backcloth against which this article examines what contribution the function can make to environmental protection. Theoretical perspectives on greener supply are developed and then tested against a sample of manufacturing companies. Environmental policy documents published by the sample companies seem to offer surface evidence for a proactive supply chain management role in environmental protection. Yet a more detailed examination of the three elements that constitute supply chain management - the management of the transformation of materials, the management of information flows and the management of supply chain relationships - finds a suboptimal situation for all three areas. In part this gap can be explained by limits in the technical capabilities of the supply chain. More important, however, are structural constraints that prevent the supply chain manager from actively searching for environmentally friendlier alternatives.

Value chain analysis: an approach to supply chain improvement in agri-food chains

Abstract: Purpose – To develop an innovative methodology to apply lean value chain improvement techniques to a complete supply chain for a food product from farm to consumer.Design/methodology/approach – Action research based on a UK case study involving farmers, a food processor and a major retailer.Findings – Value stream analysis (VCA) highlights significant opportunities to improve supply chain performance, profitability and relationships.Research limitations/implications – Lean/VCA methodologies can be readily applied to the retail and processor elements of food chains. However, further research is required to apply the concepts to farm operations.Practical implications – Subsequent to this research, VCA techniques have been increasingly adopted in UK agri‐food sectors including meat, dairy, cereals and horticulture.Originality/value – Application of lean concepts and VCA in the agri‐food sector. Development of a multi‐echelon supply chain improvement methodology.

Losing Sight of the Forest for the Trees? Productive Capabilities and Gains From Trade as Drivers of Vertical Scope

Abstract: Focusing on proving or disproving Transaction Cost Economics has led to a relative neglect of some key drivers of vertical scope, such as differences in productive capabilities (as opposed to capabilities of governance). We consider how productive capability differences can shape vertical scope through gains from trade. Using highly detailed data from the mortgage banking industry, we find productive capabilities to be a key determinant of the make-vs.-buy decision. Our analysis also suggests firms' attempts to leverage a comparative advantage can also lead to the use of mixed governance modes (both "make" and "buy" in a particular part of the value chain). We conclude that the distribution of productive capabilities along the value chain, catalyzed by transaction costs, ultimately drives vertical scope.

Market orientation of value chains: A conceptual framework based on four case studies from the food industry

Abstract: Purpose – This paper extends the concept of market orientation from the firm to the value chain level and seeks to develop empirically founded propositions on determinants of different levels of market orientation of value chains.Design/methodology/approach – Four case studies on value chains within the areas of agribusiness and fisheries are conducted. For each value chain, desk research is combined with interviews with decision‐makers of all types of value chain members. Interview guidelines were derived from a conceptual model of potential determinants of value chain market orientation.Findings – Degree of market orientation of value chains is found to be related to degree of heterogeneity and dynamism of end‐users served, nature of chain relationships, regulations and prevailing mental models of decision‐makers. Short and balanced chains are believed to further upstream market orientation.Research limitations/implications – The results point at two areas, where additional research on market orientatio...

A knowledge-based supplier intelligence retrieval system for outsource manufacturing

Abstract: Knowledge management is to promote business success through a formal, structured initiative to improve the use of knowledge in an organization, in which an effective organizational memory information system plays an increasingly important role. Unlike the past, the performance of an enterprise now depends much on the performance and relationship of its customer–suppliers in the value chain. Good customer–supplier relationships are important for an organization to respond to dynamic and unpredictable changes. This paper describes a knowledge-based supplier selection and evaluation system, which is a case-based reasoning decision support system for outsourcing operations at Honeywell Consumer Products (Hong Kong) Limited in China. As a result, collaborative suppliers are identified quickly during the new product development process. By using the system, the cumulative performance of suppliers is constantly updated automatically according to past practice. This means that the knowledge of suppliers can be retained, categorized, retrieved and managed effectively.

Supply Chain Finance: some conceptual insights

Abstract: While the integration of material and information flows within the supply chain has long been discussed in the science community and tested in practice, it is therefore now that the flow of financial resources is increasingly drawing the centre of attention. Following this new way of understanding logistics and supply chain processes, the task of supply chain managers begins with the financing and capital budgeting decisions of supply chain investments and ends only after the payment from the customer is received. The challenges arising with this development bring along a new understanding and role of the supply chain actors as well as their mutual relationships. New inter-functional and inter-organizational tasks at the intersection of finance and logistics open new areas of business for banks as well as financial and logistics service providers. This paper can be understood as a first step enabling executives to gain all impacts lying in the Supply Chain Finance (SCF) approach.

Losing sight of the forest for the trees? Productive capabilities and gains from trade as drivers of vertical scope

Abstract: Focusing on proving or disproving transaction cost economics has led to a relative neglect of some key drivers of vertical scope, such as differences in productive capabilities (as opposed to capabilities of governance). We consider how productive capability differences can shape vertical scope through gains from trade. Using highly detailed data from the mortgage banking industry, we find productive capabilities to be a key determinant of the make-vs.-buy decision. Our analysis also suggests firms' attempts to leverage a comparative advantage can also lead to the use of mixed governance modes (both ‘make’ and ‘buy’ in a particular part of the value chain). We conclude that the distribution of productive capabilities along the value chain, catalyzed by transaction costs, ultimately drives vertical scope. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A strategic framework for supply chain oriented logistics

Abstract: The Council of Logistics Management's (CLM) name change to the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) has intensified discussions regarding the difference between supply chain management and logistics. This paper merges broadly accepted paradigms from strategic management and marketing to introduce a theoretically consistent framework that differentiates supply chain management from logistics while highlighting the complementary relationship. Supply chain management is portrayed as a firm or SBU level phenomena while logistics is expressed as a competency within supply chain management possessing both strategic and structural capabilities focused exclusively on managing the move/store activities used to fulfill customer orders. Research propositions regarding the interfaces and nature of logistics within a strategic supply chain orientation are drawn to guide thought and development in the discipline.

Value chain analysis for policy-makers and practitioners

Abstract: This useful and practical guide written for policy-makers and practitioners aims to improve the ability of local enterprises to compete in the global economy and generate sustainable jobs and income for local people. Enterprises do not simply export their output into an anonymous global market; often they feed into supply chains that are governed by powerful global actors. Value chain analysis demonstrates that the relationship with these global actors exerts a major influence on upgrading and earning opportunities of local enterprises. A value chain is the sequence of activities required to make a product or provide a service. Value chain analysis for policy-makers and practitioners presents the key insights of the value chain approach and the questions it raises about how the global economy is organized and how local enterprises can participate more effectively in it. It also sets out why this new analytical approach is important for policy-makers and practitioners. Specific policy problems are also discussed, and practical ideas about how to address these challenges are provided.

Research methodologies in supply chain management

Abstract: Is There a Right Research Design for Your Supply Chain Study?.- Substantive Justification for Theory Building.- A Balanced Approach to Research in Supply Chain Management.- A Critical Discussion on the Theoretical and Methodological Advancements in Supply Chain Integration Research.- Measuring Supply Chain Integration - Using the Q-Sort Technique.- Supply Chain Management and the Challenge of Organizational Complexity - Methodological Considerations.- The Configurational Approach in Supply Chain Management.- Conducting a Literature Review - The Example of Sustainability in Supply Chains.- Research Methodologies in Supply Chain Management - What Do We Know?.- Surveys in Supply Chain Management.- The Role and Importance of Survey Research in the Field of Supply Chain Management.- Web-based Surveys in Logistics Research: An Empirical Application.- SCM Research Methodologies: Employing Structural Equation Modeling.- Structural Equation Modeling as a Basis for Theory Development within Logistics and Supply Chain Management Research.- Customers' Perceptions of Service Quality by TPL Service Providers in the United Kingdom - A Confirmatory Factor Analysis.- Third Party Logistics in Thailand - From the Users' Perspective.- A Market-Oriented View of SCM - Researching Criteria and Instruments in the Public Procurement Process.- Case Study Research in Supply Chains.- Case Study Research in Supply Chains - An Outline and Three Examples.- A Proposal for Case Study Methodology in Supply Chain Integration Research.- Using Case Study Methods in Researching Supply Chains.- Multilevel Issues in Supply Chain Management.- Cost Management along the Supply Chain - Methodological Implications.- Case Studies and Surveys in Supply Chain Management Research - Two Complementary Methodologies.- Towards Triangulation - Blending Techniques in Supply Chain Management Context.- Action Research in Supply Chains.- Action Research in Supply Chain Management - An Introduction.- The Application of Action Learning and Action Research in Collaborative Improvement within the Extended Manufacturing Enterprise.- Integrating Environmental and Social Standards into Supply Management - An Action Research Project.- Supply Chain Diagnostics to Confront Theory and Practice - Re-Questioning the Core of Supply Chain Management.- A Logistics and Supply Chain Approach to Seaport Efficiency - An Inquiry Based on Action Research Methodology.- Modelling Supply Chains.- Supply Chain Management Research Methodology Using Quantitative Models Based on Empirical Data.- Of Stocks, Flows, Agents and Rules - "Strategic" Simulations in Supply Chain Research.- Analysis of Supply Chain Dynamics through Object Oriented Simulation.- The Potential of Cooperative Game Theory for Supply Chain Management.- Modeling the Effect of Product Architecture Modularity in Supply Chains.- Heuristics in the Multi-Location Inventory System with Transshipments.- Contract Typology as a Research Method in Supply Chain Management.- Load Dependent Lead Times - From Empirical Evidence to Mathematical Modeling.- Recovery Network Design for End-of-Life Vehicles.- Modeling and Integrated Assessment of Mass and Energy Flows within Supply Chains.- Socrates Thematic Network to Enhance European Teaching and Research of Operations as Well as Supply Chain Management.

Realizing the Potential of Real Options: Does Theory Meet Practice?

Abstract: The idea of viewing corporate investment opportunities as “real options” has been around for over 25 years. Real options concepts and techniques now routinely appear in academic research in finance and economics, and have begun to influence scholarly work in virtually every business discipline, including strategy, organizations, management science, operations management, information systems, accounting, and marketing. Real options concepts have also made considerable headway in practice. Corporate managers are more likely to recognize options in their strategic planning process, and have become more proactive in designing flexibility into projects and contracts, frequently using real options vocabulary in their discussions. Thanks in part to the spread of real options thinking, today's strategic planners are more likely than their predecessors to recognize the “option” value of actions like the following: • dividing up large projects into a number of stages; • investing in the acquisition or production of information; • introducing “modularity” in manufacturing and design; • developing competing prototypes for new products; and • investing in overseas markets. But if real options has clearly succeeded as a way of thinking, the application of real options valuation methods has been limited to companies in relatively few industries and has thus failed to live up to expectations created in the mid- to late-1990s. Increased corporate acceptance and implementations of real options valuation techniques will require several changes coming together. On the theory side, we need more realistic models that better reflect differences between financial and real options, simple heuristic methods that can be more easily implemented (but that have been carefully benchmarked against more precise models), and better guidance on implementation issues such as the estimation of discount rates for the “optionless” underlying projects. On the practitioner side, we need user-friendly real options software, more senior-level buy-in, more deliberate diffusion of real options knowledge throughout organizations, better alignment of managerial incentives with long-term shareholder value, and better-designed contracts to correct the misalignment of incentives across the value chain. If these challenges can be met, there will continue to be a steady if gradual diffusion of real options analysis throughout organizations over the next few decades, with real options eventually becoming not only a standard part of corporate strategic planning, but also the primary valuation tool for assessing the expected shareholder effect of large capital investment projects.

Resource dependency and SME strategy: an empirical study

Abstract: Purpose – There has been considerable discussion concerning the resource dependency theory of strategy but relatively little qualitative, empirical research has been conducted on the proposed models. Using the value chain as the conceptual framework, the research aims to show how organisations, in this case small and medium‐sized wineries, use their resources and how they access other resources by using strategic alliances. The article also aims to discuss the influence that their resources and capabilities have had on their ability to develop sustainable competitive advantage and superior performance.Design/methodology/approach – This exploratory research looks at four medium‐sized New Zealand wineries (between 200,000 and 2 million litres) and six small ones (under 200,000 litres), of which six have over‐performed and four have under‐performed the industry. Semi‐structured interviews were used to develop an understanding of how the wineries organised their alliances along the value and how they accessed...

Economic benefits of enterprise resource planning systems: some empirical evidence

Abstract: The present study provides empirical evidence on the economic benefits of enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems. We use a modified value chain approach and identify several ratios for each component of the value chain to reflect improvements as a result of the adoption of ERP systems. These financial ratios are tracked for 2 years for a group of companies that adopted ERP systems versus a group of companies that did not adopt ERP. Both univariate and multivariate statistics are used to test for differences. The key result of the present study is that the adoption of ERP systems leads to sustained operational efficiencies and improved overall liquidity. In addition, some support is found for increased profitability 2 years after the adoption of ERP and for improvements in accounts receivable management.

Knowledge management as competitive advantage: lessons from the textile and apparel value chain

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this research is to investigate knowledge management in the textile industry specifically through the relationships and interconnections of knowledge management systems, strategy and firm performance across the value chain.Design/methodology/approach – This research examines the process of acquisition, retention, maintenance, and retrieval of knowledge both within the firm through organizational memory and across the value chain. A series of case studies examines how Invista (a Du Pont subsidiary) manages knowledge internally and externally through relationships with downstream partners across a single value‐chain within the textile industry. Qualitative interviews assess the “state of the industry” regarding knowledge management systems.Findings – Differentiation through knowledge is difficult in practice. Invista has taken the first steps to develop knowledge management systems that connect the internal and external knowledge base to gain competitive advantage. Establishing inte...

Innovation versus complexity: what is too much of a good thing?

Abstract: What's the number of product or service offerings that would optimize both your revenues and your profits? For most firms, it's considerably lower than the number they offer today. The fact is, companies have strong incentives to be overly innovative in new product development. But continual launches of new products and line extensions add complexity throughout a company's operations, and as the costs of managing that complexity multiply, margins shrink. To maximize profit potential, a company needs to identify its innovation fulcrum, the point at which an additional offering destroys more value than it creates. The usual antidotes to complexity miss their mark because they treat the problem on the factory floor rather than at its source: in the product line. Mark Gottfredson and Keith Aspinall of Bain & Company present an approach that goes beyond the typical Six Sigma or lean-operations program to root out complexity hidden in the value chain. The first step is to ask, What would our company look like if it made and sold only a single product or service? In other words, you identify your company's equivalent of Henry Ford's one-size-fits-all Model T-for Starbucks, it might be a medium-size cup of coffee; for a bank, a simple checking account-and then determine the cost of producing that baseline offering. Next, you add variety back into the business system, product by product, and carefully forecast the resulting impact on sales as well as the cost implications across the value chain. When the analysis shows the costs beginning to overwhelm the added revenues, you've found your innovation fulcrum. By deconstructing their companies to a zero-complexity baseline, managers can break through organizational resistance and deeply entrenched ways of thinking to find the right balance between innovation and complexity.

The Use of Strategic Planning Tools and Techniques in Saudi Arabia: An Empirical study

Abstract: The study highlights the importance of strategic planning tools and techniques. Webster et al. (1989) argued that the usage of available tools and techniques will enhance managers ' analytical and diagnostic skills. The study utilizes thirteen tools and techniques in the questionnaire. Literature review was conducted to support the argument made by Webster et al. (1989). Out of the 72 Saudi organizations investigated, only 10% of the planners reported using these techniques regularly with an additional 17% saying only use them frequently. The most regularly and widely used technique is analysis of critical success factors, followed by benchmarking, and then what if analysis. Swat analysis, product life cycle, and stakeholder analysis had received moderate use, while Pims, experience curve, portfolio analysis, and value chain analysis had received very limited use. Finally, Delphi, cognitive mapping, and Porter's five-force analysis were found to be the least used tools in the sector analysis, the 17 joint venture firms and the 29 large turnover firms declared the greatest use of many of these tools and techniques in comparison with other sectors involved in the study. On average, almost half of the respondents reported that they do not use these strategic tools in their planning activities. Introduction Successful organizations now more than ever recognize the importance of strategic planning in achieving desired business results. Companies clearly have a competitive advantage when they can develop an effective strategic plan. As the saying goes, "If you don't know where you are going, any road will take you there." Most business leaders recognize the importance of strategic planning, but few succeed at translating their strategies into business results. There is an obvious scarcity of research on strategic planning in the Arabian Gulf region, and in Saudi Arabia in particular. The analysis reported here is an attempt to assess the level of using of strategic planning tools and techniques in Saudi Arabia. A working paper by Salem M Al Ghamdi and Sami Al-Wuhaibi (2001) investigated the extent of strategic planning activities in Saudi Arabian companies. The findings showed that Saudi companies are aware and use some form of strategic planning. We are intended in this study to find out what are the tools and techniques used by Saudi companies for such activity. Among many available tools and techniques worldwide, only thirteen tools and techniques were included in the questionnaire (Webster, 1989). These tools and techniques were selected from similar questionnaires conducted on other countries. The selection criteria for these tools are based on an indication of high popularity by firms operating at those surveyed countries. These tools include SWOT analysis, Portfolio analysis, analysis of critical success factors, Porter's five-force analysis, experience curve analysis, PIMS analysis, what if analysis, stakeholders analysis, value chain analysis, benchmarking, product life cycle analysis, cognitive mapping, and Delphi technique. Literature Review Strategic planning is a proactive move that puts an organization in a better position than one that only reacts to emerging events. Its ultimate objective is to close the gap between where the organization is now, and where it would like to be (Gooderham, 1998). It sets direction and a context for decision making so that subsequent decisions at the subunit level can be make in harmony (Gooderham, 1998). Because reaction alone leads nowhere. Action in the short term reality has no meaning unless it takes place in the long term context of a plan. (Godet, et al., 1996) However, strategic planning should not be perceived to eliminate uncertainty surrounding an organization through illusory prediction. But it aims to reduce it as far as possible, change the mental models of the key decision-maker, and to make decisions based as little as possible on hypothetical futures (Schriefer, 1998). …

Implementation of supply chain management and its impact on the value of firms

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this research is to examine the effect of supply chain implementation issues on firm value.Design/methodology/approach – Using case study methodology, this paper outlines the cases of Hershey and Nike and the impact of supply chain implementation issues on these firms’ value.Findings – Difficulties in the implementation of supply chain management software designed to maximize firm value, can result in a disruption of a firm's supply chain, causing losses for the firm and a decline in firm value; thereby creating much disappointment for the firm's shareholders. Hence, great care should be taken with the implementation of new SCM solutions.Research limitations/implications – Future research may be directed at extending this work by examining the changes in the market values of a wide sample of client and provider firms following the implementation of new supply chain solutions.Practical implications – When modifying a standard supply chain template to suit a customer's requirements,...

A case study of product modularization on supply chain design and coordination in Hong Kong and China

Abstract: Purpose – Modular product design is a practice manufacturers frequently adopt to develop new products. Some literature has reported the importance of the modular product design and its effect on supply chain management. However, until now, very few empirical researches have examined the relationship of product modularisation and supply chain design and coordination. Furthermore, the exploration on how manufacturers capitalize upon product modularization with supply chain design and coordination is rarely reported. This paper addresses this gap.Design/methodology/approach – This paper conducted a case study to review the experience of an Audio Consumer Electronics Manufacturer (ACEM) in Hong Kong and China. This company has successfully integrated modular product design with supply chain design and coordination for more than five years.Findings – Results indicate that product modularization affects supply chain design, whereas product innovation influences on supply chain coordination.Originality/value – T...

Reverse Logistics — Capturing Value in the Extended Supply Chain

Abstract: textProduct flows in today’s supply chains do not end once they have reached the customer. Many products lead a second and even third or fourth life after having accomplished their original task at their first customer. Consequently, a product may generate revenues multiple times, rather than a single time. Capturing this value requires a broadening of the supply chain perspective to include new processes, known as ‘reverse logistics’, as well as multiple interrelated usage cycles, linked by specific market interfaces. Coordinating the successive product uses is key to maximizing the value generated. In this chapter, we review the field of reverse logistics. We discuss its opportunities and its challenges and indicate potential ways for companies to master them. We highlight what makes reverse logistics different from ‘conventional’ supply chain processes, but also point out analogies, and explain how both views can be integrated into an extended supply chain concept. We illustrate our discussion with examples of reverse logistics practice at IBM.

Supply chain management : models, applications, and research directions

Abstract: Preface. Part I: The Role of the Internet and e-Commerce in the Supply Chain. 1. Supply Chain Integration over the Internet Hau L. Lee, Seungjin Whang. 2. Customer Service Models for Bricks, Clicks and in Between D.J. Thomas. 3. B2B Markets: Procurement and Supplier Risk Management in E-Business R. Akella, V.F. Araman, J. Kleinknecht. Part II: Supply Chain Coordination Models and Applications. 4. Managing Demand Uncertainty for Short Life Cycle Products Using Advance Booking Discount Programs C.S. Tang, K. Rajaram, Jihong Ou. 5. Partial Quick Response Policies in a Supply Chain C.E. Smith, S.M. Gilbert, A.N. Burnetas. 6. Using Revenue Sharing to Achieve Channel Coordination for a Newsboy Type Inventory Model B.A. Pasternack. 7. Supply Chain Contracting and Coordination with Shelf-Space-Dependent Demand Yunzeng Wang, Y. Gerchak. 8. SAM: A Decision Support System for Retail Supply Chain Planning for Private-Label Merchandise with Multiple Vendors S.A. Smith, N. Agrawal, A.A. Tsay. 9. Coordinating the Distribution Chain: New Models for New Challenges A. Balakrishnan, J. Geunes, M.S. Pangburn. Part III: Models and Applications for Supply Chain Planning and Design. 10. A Mathematical Programming Model for Global Supply Chain Management: Conceptual Approach and Managerial Insights P. Kouvelis, M.J. Rosenblatt. 11. Manufacturing Planning over Alternative Facilities: Modeling, Analysis and Algorithms S.D. Wu, H. Golbasi. 12. An Optimization Framework for Evaluating Logistics Costs in a Global Supply Chain: An applicationto the Commercial Aviation Industry A.Z. Zeng. 13. The Supply Chain in the Forest Industry: Models and Linkages A. Weintraub, R. Epstein. 14. The Benefits of Information Sharing in a Supply Chain: An Exploratory Simulation Study T. Boone, R. Ganeshan, A. Stenger.

Exploring the Links between International Business and Poverty Reduction: A Case Study of Unilever in Indonesia

Abstract: Acroynyms and abbreviations Foreword: Oxfam Foreword: Unilever Executive summary 1 Introduction Why Oxfam and Unilever began this project What is this research about? Methodology The context of the research project Assessing the impact of Unilever Indonesia 2 The impacts of Unilever Indonesia at the macro-economic level Setting the context: the 1997-98 financial crisis Unilever's organisation and recent performance in Indonesia UI's response to the financial crisis Key insights 3 The employment impacts of Unilever Indonesia Employment in Indonesia UI's employment impacts Key insights 4 The value chain from supply to distribution Supplier companies Producers of raw materials Kecap Bango Sweet Soy Sauce: from farm to fork The distribution chain Supporting employment and value generation in UI's value chain Key insights 5 Low-income consumers in the marketplace The fast-moving consumer-goods (FMCG) market in Indonesia What exactly does UI sell? Who buys UI products? Access to UI products Why do people buy UI products? The concept of brands The role of promotion and advertising Meeting or creating needs? Key insights 6 UI's wider impact in the community Corporate community involvement UI's influence on the business sector and government Key insights 7 Conclusions Content: lessons learned from the research project Process and partnership: lessons learned from working together Feedback from external reference group The way forward Notes References and sources Appendices